Young gay men can train to become Catholic priests in Italy, but not if they “support so-called gay culture”, according to new church guidelines approved by the Vatican.
Emphasizing the need for celibacy, guidelines from the Italian bishops’ conference – posted online Thursday – open the door for gay men to attend seminaries, or divinity schools that train young people to become priests.
But they came with a caveat – that people who demonstrated their homosexuality should be banned.
A section of the 68-page guidelines was specifically directed at “individuals with homosexual tendencies who come to seminaries, or who discover such a condition during their training”.
The document states, “The Church, while deeply respecting the persons concerned, cannot admit into seminary and holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep homosexual tendencies or support so-called homosexual culture “
The goal of training future priests is “the ability to accept as a gift, to choose freely, and to live chastity in celibacy.”
The new guidelines have been approved by the Vatican, the bishops’ conference said in a statement.
Pope Francis, 88, has encouraged a more inclusive church, including LGBTQ Catholics, throughout his papal tenure, although official church doctrine still says same-sex acts are “intrinsically disordered.”
In 2013, just weeks after taking office, Francis famously said, “If someone is gay and is searching for God and has good will, who am I to judge him?”
However, in June, according to two Italian newspapers, the Pope used a vulgar homosexual slur in a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops, causing a minor stir.
The Pope has expressed his opposition to the entry of gay men into seminaries, saying that there is already too much “frosiagine” in schools – using an offensive Roman word which translates as “faggotry”.
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